Is Working From Home Really That Great?

I like to tell people I started working from home "before it was cool"

It was the beginning of 2018. I have been at my employer at the time for nearly six great years. The company was good, and my coworkers were good. So why on earth was I looking for something else? It's hard to describe, but I just wanted something 'more'. I guess you could say I was looking for the next challenge. A place where I could grow more as a developer, and broaden my horizons.

I had submitted several applications and had a few interviews, but nothing had come through so far. One day, I was chatting with a friend of mine who had moved to North Carolina a couple of years back. He told me that he and his family were moving back to Utah. I jokingly asked if we were coming back to work where I was (he was a former employee himself), and he said no - his employer was going to let him work remotely. Having no experience working from home myself, it sounded like a sweet deal.

"There is an opening on my team right now - do you want a new job?"

Fast forward a couple of months, and I was starting a new job, with all the excitement and anxiety that comes with it. I too was given the perk of working from home. This was an exciting new prospect, but besides that, I wasn't sure what to expect.

I like to tell people I started working from home "before it was cool" since at this point the COVID-19 pandemic was still two years in the future. My workspace has evolved over time and I have learned a lot about 'how' to work from home. Working from home was an adjustment, both for me and my family.

So what is it like working from home with four kids?

In a word: Excellent.

That said, I'm not delusional enough to state that it has been all sunshine and rainbows the entire time. There have been days that my home office has been chaotic enough that I've had to straight up leave and go find somewhere else peaceful to work. Fortunately, these days are few and far in between (it has been several months since I've had to do that) but still, it has happened. If you find yourself in a position of starting remote work (either by choice or otherwise), or are even just considering whether a work-from-home gig is right for you, hopefully, my experience can help you make an informed choice, or make the most of your existing work-from-home situation.

Why I Love Working From Home

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The Carpet Commute

Let's get the most obvious part of working from home out of the way - you don't have to go anywhere. The famed "Carpet Commute" is a fantastic aspect of working from home. For some, this means that they can stay in bed right up until 2 minutes before their first meeting. Personally, I don't advocate this (I try to sleep as little as possible, but that's a discussion for another time), but if you add up the time savings over even just a week you'd be amazed at how much time you suddenly have.

Replacing the twenty-minute commute I had in 2018 means that I gain an extra 40 minutes a day.

That's over 3 hours a week, or 16 hours a month. Going remote has saved me two full working days a month since I started. You can do a lot with that time - start a hobby, spend time with family, start a side hustle, get some school work done - you name it!

Bring Add Your Own Hardware

This may not apply to all work-from-home gigs, based on specific requirements of your employer, but I've yet to hear of a problem with enhancing your workspace with your own hardware.

At my previous job, I used the hardware that was given to me (except the keyboard) and it worked great. My new job (that I've been at for over 4 years at this point, but 'new' for the sake of this article) gave me a laptop and a small budget to equip my home office. My hardware of choice is a 38" ultrawide monitor with another 24" panel mounted above it, a wireless mouse, TKL mechanical keyboard, and my sit/stand desk. No, my hardware does not make me a better developer (despite the "advantages" of a mechanical keyboard) but having all my own peripherals that I get to enjoy daily is something that brings me joy.

Pick/Change Your Location

When I talk about location here, I'm referring to where in your home you decide to work. Your employer may have rules/stipulations about where in the world you are allowed to work from (from my understanding this mostly has to do with taxes).

This of course is assuming that you have a mobile workstation (like a laptop) from which to do your work.

Despite my fantastic home office setup, there comes a time once in a while I just need a change of scenery. I have worked from the kitchen table, my front porch, my back deck, and even my 2-year-old's bedroom. When you hit writer's block (as developers do at times), sometimes all you need is a different environment to wake your brain back up. Don't be afraid to try new locations to see what it does for your creativity.

Daddy Is Always Home

I'd be remiss if I didn't mention how much my beautiful wife enjoys having me at home. When I first took this job, she was talking with some of her friends and sharing how excited she was that I was going to be working from home. Surprisingly (to us at least) her friends thought it sounded like a terrible idea. "Aren't you afraid that he'll come out of the office anytime?" "Do you really want to spend that much time around each other all day?"

We're not sure what kind of relationships those women had with their spouses at the time. My wife and I love spending time in one another's company (hence why we decided to make it a permanent arrangement 14 years ago). When I need a change of scenery like I mentioned before, sometimes that place is next to her on the couch while she holds our 3-month-old.

Your workplace flexibility will depend on your employer so your mileage may vary, but I have the flexibility to pick up or put down work whenever I need to. When things come up like our daughter suddenly collapsing to the floor saying her head hurt, I was home so my wife could take her to the doctor and leave the other kiddos at home with me. Things like this (which thankfully have been rare) are my favorite reason I get to work from home. I get to be home and be Dad whenever I'm needed.

Working From Home Isn't Perfect

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Now that I have made working from home sound like the most ideal work situation one could ask for, let me lay down a little reality. It's not always ideal. There are challenges that come with working from home. Some of them are personal to me, and others I think are more common. These are things that you need to consider if you are given the option of working from home or in an office location that I think bears considering, as they could make or break your 'home office' experience.

All By Yourself

I have been with my current employer for going on five years now. I have been a part of two great teams within that company and worked with dozens of people across the organization.

I have only met four of them in person. Ever.

When I first joined, the team I was a part of was based in Raleigh, North Carolina. Apart from the friend and coworker that I mentioned previously who helped get me the job, I didn't meet anyone on the team in person until I had been with the company for nearly a year. Incidentally, I only had the opportunity to meet the team because my manager at the time suggested a tech conference that happens to be held each year in the city where the team was based. I attended the conference, then stayed a couple of days in NC to work with the team.

Besides that one trip, I have never physically met any of my coworkers. My current team is spread across the globe (literally). I work with engineers from Indiana, South Carolina, New Jersey, Ireland, and India. Realistically, there are people on the team with whom I will likely never have the pleasure of shaking their hands. I've had to come to terms with that. It's not been easy, but some things you just have to accept.

Collaboration Can Be Harder

This is somewhat related to the previous topic, but despite the best efforts of Zoom, MS Teams, Slack, or whatever collaboration tool you use, virtual meetings are just not as nice as in-person meetings. Getting together to discuss a task, or brainstorm is by nature, (in my opinion) less efficient. Obviously, in my case (due to the geography of the team) I don't have a choice in the matter. But, coming from a previously in-person workplace, discussions somehow just felt richer when they were in person.

Now, take this point with a grain of salt, because there are also many advantages to virtual meetings as well. At the risk of turning this 'con' into a 'pro', I certainly enjoy playing Minecraft listening intently to global compliance training for the hundredth time each year or getting actual work done while execs show off their "marking/business speak" during company-wide meetings.

Summer Vacation - Not a Vacation

I've mentioned that I have kids in the house. My wife and I are the proud (and tired) parents of four kids. Two of them are currently in school. This is great during the nine months of the year school is in session. Once summer vacation rolls around though, things are a bit different.

If you don't have children, then you'll just have to trust me on this.

Kids are LOUD.

Without even trying to be, they are loud. My office sits in the center of our house on the bottom floor - which means my ceiling is the floor of the main living area upstairs, and next to the main hallway from the bedrooms to the kitchen. You wouldn't think that small creatures can sound 500 times their size but, they can, and they do. Frequently.

This obviously may not be an issue for everyone, but certainly an aspect you need to consider if it applies to you. I know a few people who also have kids that really struggled to work from home during the pandemic-induced shutdowns.

Should You Work From Home?

Working from home can be a mixed bag. In my case, the pros far outweigh the cons. That said, it takes some planning and strategy, not to mention cooperation from everyone else in your home to make it work. If you are going to work from home, take the time to prepare. All the commercials of people working remotely from vacation spots or on beaches aren't accurate. (Why would you take an expensive laptop to a beach anyway??)

With some planning, however, it can be an excellent arrangement. Take these things into consideration before making your decision to get the most out of it. In a later article, we'll discuss some strategies I've come up with to make working from home successful.‌‌